While The Quartz Child Sleeps
by Darthkvzn
Summary: Steven's tale is told from his own perspective. This is what happens when he's not paying attention. Follows canon events, witha a good deal of headcanons mixed in.
1. Chapter 1

**This work is only intended as a way to deposit a bunch of headcanons of what conversations or events might take place outside of Steven's perspective. It won't always be at night, contrary to what the title might suggest (but I still really like the title so I left it as is).**

* * *

"The Temple is new."

Pearl looked up from her quiet meditation on the beach to see a forlorn-looking Bismuth over her shoulder.

"Relatively, yes. It's actually about three-hundred years old." -she replied, rising from her lotus position.

Bismuth nodded. "Fooled me. It's very well sculpted."

Pearl looked at the broken hands protruding from the sand. "I'll take your word for it." -she said wryly.

"Rose make it?"

The sword-wielding Gem shook her head. "Goodness, no. Rose was not nearly egocentric enough for that. No, it was a human who decided to have it made. The one who founded Beach City, William Dewey."

Bismuth frowned. " _Why_ would a _human_ sculpt a Gem fusion?"

"Captain Dewey was old and half-crazed by the time he had the Temple sculpted around our base. Still, he remembered the time that fusion saved his life. Beach City exists because of her, really."

The blacksmith chuckled. "Heh. Crazy meatbag. So who is she? I don't think we ever met."

The former servant stared at the oval gemstone on the statue's forehead. "She never had a name. She only ever existed once, and there were more pressing concerns in her mind at the time than something as trivial as figuring out how to be called."

Bismuth frowned, but nodded in acceptance. "So, Rose, Garnet, Amethyst and you, huh?"

Pearl nodded carefully. "That's right."

"Five Gems...that's _huge_. I only ever saw three at most. Is she to scale?" -she asked.

"I keep forgetting Sardonyx's age." -Pearl hummed amusedly. "She _was_ quite large, though not _quite_ as tall as the Temple. Powerful. _Intoxicating_. Two quartzes, a fused corundum and, well, _me_...she could've swatted a Light Kite out of the sky if she'd wanted." -she admitted. "Not much of a talker, though. Alexandrite is a chatterbox in comparison." -she said, gesturing at the Temple.

Bismuth whistled. "I wish I could've met her."

Pearl hummed sadly. "So do I."

The forgemaster cleared her throat. "And Steven? Could he…?"

She frowned. "...he can. He's already brought Smoky and Rainbow Quartz back. It's...different. _She_ would be different. But that's irrelevant. She'll never exist again." -Pearl murmured resolutely.

Bismuth scoffed. "Gee, don'tcha think we might need to swat warships out of the sky soon?"

"We _will_ , I know that. Just...not with her. It's too risky."

"She looks like she could trample a _Diamond_ underfoot. You're not gonna take advantage of that? We're gonna need every edge we can get, the risks be damned." -Bismuth argued.

"With Peridot's know-how of Homeworld's current tactics, and your particular expertise, Garnet and I believe we now have a fighting chance that we haven't had in centuries. An 'easy' victory isn't worth the potential damage Steven might suffer, as part of her. She was _not_ stable, and with all that power…it's a burden he's _not_ ready for. I don't think he ever will be."

Bismuth shook her head, baffled. "Why am I _not_ surprised to know you'd rather trust a Homeworld Gem to help than risk your precious _Rose_ getting hurt?"

 _Slap!_

The blacksmith felt her left cheek sting. "You...struck me?" -Bismuth asked, bewildered. Not because of the pain - Pearl was not very strong in comparison - but because Pearl wasn't the impulsive type. Hitting a friend in anger just wasn't something the Pearl she knew would _do_.

But then, the Pearl she knew was not exactly the Pearl in front of her now. ' _Everything's changing'_ , indeed.

Pearl was looking at her with glassy eyes that nonetheless held a fire she faintly recognized from her days as a terrifying renegade. "Steven is _not_ Rose Quartz, Bismuth, and it's about time you understand that. Rose wronged you, it's true. She did many things that we never quite understood - that we may never understand, now. But Steven has done _nothing_ to you. You are stuck in your grudge, and while that is _understandable_ , it is _not_ acceptable. We are Crystal Gems; we rebelled to protect life - humans and Gems alike - from the cruelty of Homeworld. We are _not_ killers, we are _not_ soldiers, and our fusions are most certainly _not_ war machines to be thrown at our enemies. What we _are_ is rebels, guardians who have chosen to protect life, love, and peace. If you cannot even _try_ and see things in this way, to figure out why all of us, from Peridot to Garnet, would be willing to _die_ for what and _who_ we believe in, then perhaps you should ponder what being a Crystal Gem _actually_ means for you."

Pearl left with her head held up high, leaving a shocked Bismuth to stare up at the Temple fusion. A part of Bismuth, the one that had seen friends shattered at the hands of the Authority, wanted to lash out and deface what was left of the human creation - a monument, in her opinion, to the failure and ultimate futility of Rose's Rebellion.

Grand as it was, that fusion had been formed by all the survivors of the war.

But, Bismuth supposed, there was also the side of her that felt pride when looking at the Temple. Of her friends, of the new recruits...of Steven, too, if she were to be honest. So young, and yet, so much potential. Wrong of her as it might have been, not many Gems could survive a fight with her, let alone win. And the fact that she'd managed to convince those Homeworld Gems to join him...that they would willingly _die_ to protect him, without any of Rose's deceit and manipulation…

That part, at least, knew Pearl was right. All she had known for so long had been war…she almost felt unable to see the beauty she'd once fought to protect.

She would never quite stop wishing ill upon the Homeworld upper crusts. The hatred was too deeply ingrained. But maybe it wasn't about letting go of it. Maybe she could hate the Diamonds, and still love her fellow Gems as she once had. Before the twilight of the war, before the destruction had driven her to her breaking point...she'd wanted to free _every_ Gem from the Authority's tyranny, hadn't she?

And it _could_ work, she knew. Rose had once proven that, and Steven only improved in doing so. The peridot, the lapis lazuli...even the _jasper_ had been convinced to fight for Earth.

So why couldn't she? If for nothing else than proving a point to the new recruits, Bismuth, for the first time since reforming in the Burning Room, felt compelled to try.

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 **I'm not sure _when_ Bismuth was let out in the canon of this story, but I can't imagine she'd have stayed in the Burning Room for too long. (Looking at you, actual canon, what gives? Gimme more Bismuth goodness!)**


	2. Chapter 2

It's been two weeks.

As the expert on procrastination - she _does_ know big words, thank you very much - even _she_ finds it ridiculous. Especially coming from Pearl, who's nothing if not neurotic. It's not like her to leave something _this_ important for later.

So, Amethyst seeks her out. It's been pretty chill, lately, with Homeworld quiet, the two dorks at the barn not causing much trouble, and few Corrupted Gems attacking. Pearl is probably dancing in her room, or catching up on chores. A quick dive into one of the pools that connects their rooms results in no response from Pearl, annoyed or otherwise, when she yells for her.

Amethyst groans. Chores it is.

She shapeshifts into a seagull, flying out of an open window and up towards the Temple's open hand. Sure enough, the white Gem is humming to herself, loading up the washing machine with Steven's dirty clothes.

" _Geez_ , P. Thought you were done with the midnight laundry." -she says as she flashes violet, turning back into her regular form.

Pearl blinks and stares at the pair of shorts she's folding, confused for a moment. "Oh. How embarrassing, I lost track of time."

Amethyst crosses her arms, jumping up to the top of the machine. "You sure that's all it is? 'Cause you used to do this. Y'know, _before_."

She frowns putting down the shorts. "What do you mean?"

The purple Gem rolls her eyes. " _Ugh_. Before! You know, you used to get all mopey over Rose, so you'd stay up all night like this. Nose-deep in Steven's laundry, or harassing the poor guys at the 24-hour store with your shopping list." -she says, frustrated. Then she looks her in the eye. "We... _I_ thought you were doing better."

A cyan blush creeps up on Pearl's cheeks. "I...I'm not sure what to say. I _am_ doing better. Greg and I have a friendship going, and thinking about Rose is not... _as_ painful as before."

"So, what is it?"

Pearl purses her lips, then reaches into her gemstone, pulling out a small, familiar piece of paper. "I haven't called her yet. And I feel guilty about it."

 _Bingo_ , Amethyst thinks. "Yeah, I kinda figured. Also, Garnet has been hinting _pretty_ heavily that she wants to talk to you about something."

She hums. "What is there to say? I missed my chance." -she says, stuffing the note back in. "I read up on modern human courtship rituals. I _should_ have called her as soon as possible, but...I couldn't."

"Pearl, it's been super chill lately. You haven't exactly been busy."

"I wasn't busy. I just...I may have felt like I was betraying her trust. Rose, she...never asked for my loyalty, but she also never declined my vows. I've been thinking about our relationship lately. Not in the _usual_ way, mind you, just...trying to see things from another perspective. She may have loved me, and I certainly loved her...but what we had was not healthy. How many human lovers did she take throughout the ages? Enough that I became used to the jealousy, the hurt...that I thought Greg was just the latest, when he was actually the last."

Amethyst winces. "Yikes. Heavy stuff."

Pearl smiles sadly. "With me, when isn't it?"

"Well, I think Rose would've cheered you on, dude. Y'know, for what it's worth."

"I believe you're right. But now...it's too late. 'S' will have moved on, by now."

Amethyst scoffs. "You've got a weird idea of just how long two weeks actually are. We could ask Garnet, but I'm _pretty_ sure you can still call her, P."

"You really think so?"

"About as sure as I am that you're stalling, dude."

Pearl nods resolutely, as if she's about to face off Jasper herself, and not simply calling an admittedly attractive human. "Tomorrow. As soon as Steven wakes up and I can borrow his phone."

"You're _definitely_ stalling now."

"I'm _sure_ you'll hold me accountable."

She finger-guns at Pearl. "You bet'cha. Now, come on, let's blow this joint."

Pearl frowns. "I'm still not done with Steven's laundry, you know."

"You put off calling your mystery girl until tomorrow, you can forget about the laundry for a while. We need to get'cha in the _mindset_ for the big c-a-l-l. And _I_ happen to have the perfect idea for this."

"Which would be…?" -Pearl asks, skeptical, even though she's already powering down the washing machine.

Amethyst shapeshifts a pair of sunglasses, not unlike Sugilite's. "Let's _fuse_." -she says, trying her best to imitate Garnet's voice.

Pearl blushes ultramarine, gasping and giggling like a schoolgirl. "My _stars_ , what sort of plan is _that_?"

"C'mon! Smokey gave me a big ol' boost of confidence and I'm in a sharing mood, sister."

"Well...alright. Only because I'm curious about what Opal has to say about all this, though."

Amethyst nods, excited. The glasses vanish as she takes a position on the statue's wrist. In another time, the hand would not be large enough for them to synchronize...but they're better at it, nowadays. One twirl and a swing of her hips is all they need to merge as soon as their hands touch.

Opal feels taller than before. She's not sure why, and she's not about to question it. Her existence is preciously short, and she's sure to enjoy it, especially given the poignant lack of enemies around her. She leaps off the Temple's hand before her components can think of protesting, gracefully pirouetting as she falls, landing in a shower of glittering sand. Her arms extend to their full length, instantly catching the sand particles before they have a chance to rejoin the beach. This is Pearl, speaking through the motions of the steadily building stream of sand around her. Amethyst listens, mesmerized, as Pearl lays out her worries through this dance. They're all around her: rejection, attachment, the fear of the unknown. The stream turns jagged, constricting.

Amethyst and Opal are quick to remind her that she's not alone, however, pulling whip after whip out of their chest, slashing through the sandstream until it is aimlessly floating around them all. Opal is a fusion of few words, fewer than most, but she never limits her thoughts. _Your worries will not simply vanish. But...with some help, they can be managed, until you are ready to dissipate them yourself._

With that, the sand drops, no longer bound to their will. Opal walks towards the water, long strides getting her there rather quickly. She sits, cross-legged, staring out into the ocean.

"You will do fine." -Opal says. Amethyst agrees.

Pearl is inclined to believe them.

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 **Pearl can control sand in canon and I can only imagine Opal can do it on a much larger scale.**


End file.
